Rescue submarine



Dec. 9, 1930. I Y. SPEAR 1,784,500

RES/CUE SUBMARINE Filed Feb. 20. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l i ffzvenfar law/"67266 Y 30607",

Dec. 9, 1930. L. Y. SPEAR masons SUBMARINE Filed .Feb. 20. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,fnvemor Lawrence J. .jjvear Dec. 9, 1930. 1.. Y. 'SPEAR RESCUE SUBMAR INE Filed Feb. '20. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inf/67270 Zczwrence Z 5P6CZ-f L. Y. SPEAR Dec. 9, 1930.

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Patented Dec. 9, 1930 LAWRENCE $2343, or 'imwfnoivnoiv,icoivnnoir oun ss eivon' :ro ELECTRIC Boar COllIPAblYtgFiGBQflfON, con mo'riciir, consortrron .orgivnw JERSEY seeder. su'iaiyrnniiyn' 1 ApplicationfiIed FebIuaryZO,1928.; seriaiNo. 255,t384.

' This invention relates to submarine boats,

and more particularly to a submarine boat specially adapted for salvaging, and rescuing men from, a disabled or wrecked submarine boat resting on the bottom or submerged at an appreciable depth.

The efiiciency ofa rescue boat'working on the surface is dependent upon weather con-.

ditions and, if the Wreck is in an exposed position, siii'face rescue vessels can only operate under the bestvcondition's of wind and wave, and often have to leave the scene'of operations and seek shelter. This disadvantage,

which isa vital one where rescue work is to be eifected, can be avoided by providing a properly equipped'rescue subma-rine boat capable of working submerged adj acent the wreck either on' or near the bottom. This boat, being submerged, is not seriously affected by surface conditions and can carry on equipment, a boat constructed in accordance with my invention carries the necessary fittings and apparatusfor conducting all ordinary salvage work.- With this object in view my salvage submarine is provided with suitable anchor gear at the bowand the stern thereof is also preferably provided with means for handling other mooring gear. A. diving compartment fitted with all necessary 'divin e ui ment includin air locks and decompression tanks, and so designed that divers mayleavetheboat from either the bottom or the top thereof, is also provided. 'I i also provide theboat with suitable tubes and compartments for reception of rescue cars stored thereim such cars being adapted for cooperation with the torpedo tubes and the access hatches of the disabled submarine for effecting rescue of the occupants thereof. An

object of my invention is to rovide a submersible salvage boat of the character stated having meansassociated therewith whereby a lifting chain or similar element maybe se- .:cured .t0' the lifting. ad ofure disabled subbeexerted for raising the disabled boat. A further'object is t'o 'provide simple and eflidisabled submarine. Further objects and. advantages will appear from the detailed descri'ptionll ,Y

.11} the drawin s Figures 1' and1 A: are asectional'view of a submarine boat taken'froni the bow to the sternthereof; n

Fig. 2 is a. section taken substantially on line 22'of'Fig.1;, Fig. 3 is a plan'view ofthe windl asses and associated" motors for winding and unwinding the'oables for attachment of the lifting chain to the disabled boat;

Fig. (leis a section through one of the storage tubes; and an associated rescue car, the

rescue car being, partly broken away and shown in sections; p v

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragm'e'ntaryv sectional view on anenlarged scale through the muzzle Y end of a storage tubeand the associated rescue car; 7 a I Fig. 6is. a section through another form of rescue car and its associated storage hatch andassoci'ated parts. Y Myboa t of known construction, the hull being divided into the usual compartinents', ballast tanks',s fuel storage tanks, etc.

in'arine boat and, by emptying the ballast tanks of the salvage boat, a lifting efiect may The hull is provided, adjacent the bow and V the stern'thcreof, with an anchor compart- -ment 1 which: opens through the top. and the bottom of the'hull, this compartment receiving the shank 2 of an anchor of suitable type the head 30f which litsinto a recess or pock- 'et 4: formed in the bottom of the hull. A

cable 5 is securedto the anchor and passes over, a suitable pulley 6, this cable being wound ontoand off of a windlass 7 which is driven from means within the hull 8 in a known manner. These anchors provide simple and efficient means whereby the salvage submarine boat can be effectively moored either above 'or' adjacent a disabled or wrecked submarine lying onthe bottom or atan appreciabledepth. 7

I furtherprovide a diving compartment 9 which is disposed substantially amidship adjacent the conning tower and bridge. This compartment has suitable access hatches opening through the top and the bottom of the boat. The, lower hatch 10 isclosedby a suitable cover or door 11 which, in the form illustrated opens inboard though thecover may openoutboard-where necessary 'or de sired. The upper hatch has a't-runk 10a the upper end of which is closed by adoor or cover 11a. This trunk extends downwardly below the platform 9a. in the compartment 9. The provision of the upper and lower hatches is advantageous as permittingthe diver to enter compartment 9- from below, as

when the rescue boat is above the disabled boat or off of thebottom, or from above, as when the rescue boat is resting upon or closely adjacent the -bottom.- The diving compartment has associated therewith suitable ,means for supplying air junder pressure vice versa, without suffering any illefli'ects from asudden increase or decreasev inv air pressure. When the diving compartment is not in use, the decompression chambers or tanks provide direct passageways between this compartment and the adjoining compartment. A pair of windlasses 14 and 15 are mounted in the upper portionof compartment 9 in a suitable manner and have associated therewith driving electric motors 16 and 17, respectively. A cable 18is'wound upon Windlass 14 which isdisposed to raise and lower the cable through the hatch 10. A second cable 19 is wound upon the windlass 15 and has its outerlor free end secured to a lifting chain 20, which passes through a hawsepip'e'21 opening through thebottom 'ofthe'hull adja'cent'the access hatch 10, the

lower end of this pipebeing'n'ormally"closed by a'suitable cover 22 which opens outboard and the upper end of-the hawse pipe being closed by a cover 23 which opens inboard. An angle member '24 extends transversely of the diving compartment 9 abovethe upper end of the hawse pipe 21=and is provided with an opening to accommodate the chain 20'. The chain also passes through a block 25 which rests upon the member 24. By inserting a'suitablepin 26 through a link of.

the chain at thetop oft'he block 25, movement of the chain downwardly through the "block is positively limited, and the-load to which thelower end. of the chain isattached is transmitted to thehull through the angle member 24. In this manner, the cable19. and

associated parts are relieved of the stresses incident to raising heavy loads. The cable 19 passes upwardly from its windlam 15' The diver carries with him the cable 18 which is wound off of-the drum or "Windlass therefor as the diver'descends. The diver then secures-the end of cable -18'1to; the wrecked or disabled submarine at or adjacent to the lifting pad thereof. -After= -this has been done the ballast tanks are filled so that the boat has but slight positive-buoyanc'y and thecable 1 8 isthen wound upon its .windlass, thus drawing "the salvage beat down. into. position above and adjacent the disabled or wrecked boat. 1 The chain 20 is then lowered through the hawse pipe and is ,secured tolthe lifting pad of the-disabled s'ubmarine,as, in Fig. 11 -A., The water is then forced out of the ballast tanks of the salvage submarine and the buoyancythereof exertsa lifting eifect on thediSabled boat;

V If weather conditions are bad, the salvage submar ne upon arriving upon the scene will drop its'anehors near the wreck andwlll then fill its ballast tanks until the reserve buoy- I ancy is less than the weight "of. the combined anchors on the bottom. VVhen'this. has been done, theanclior cables 5 .are wound upon 1 the windlasses 7 f and the salvage boat hauls itself down intothe vicinity of thew reck. The boat can then operate from this position-or, if desired, divers can'attach mooring lines to the submerged wreck after whichj'the' salvage "boat hauls up its own anchors and the mooring lines permits it to :lloat above thewreck,-the'distance between the two boats'being controlled'by suitable warping gear. This-renders it possible for the boat to operate submerged in bad weather,

thus avoiding-any delay in the rescue and salvage'work from this cause: Under-conditions of good weather theiboat has the choice of working either from the surface or sub: merged. j 5

The first and most important duty of a boat of this'character is, of course, to effect rescue of those upon the? injured or'disabled submarine boat. WV-ith-thisfobject .in view I provide-,at the bow of the boat, a plurality of tubes 29 similar in all respects to torpedo tubes, except that,themuzzleends 30 of the tubes 29are enlarged to receive flanges 31 atthe' outer ends of rescue cars 32 of a suitable length to bestored in such tubes, these cars being especially adaptedjfor cooperation lie with the torpedo tubes of'thedisabled submarine, as more fully explained in; my copending application forrescue car, iiledj'February.20, 1928, Serial No. 2555683. @Ifthe salvage boat operates from the surface, the rescue cars 32 areremoved from the tubes 29 and are lowered into position adjacent the disabled or wrecked submarine, these cars being then inserted-into the torpedo tubes and the men entrapped inthe torpedo compartment of the disabled submarine are rescued therefrom bymeans of the rescue car h in themanner set forth in my co pending application above referred to. V

I also provide suitable hatch trunks 33 for reception of rescue cars 34 which are stored in the trunks which open throughthe bottom of the hullofthe salvage submarine, The trunks 33, when not used for storing the cars 34 are "closed at their inner and outerends by suitable doors orcovers 35'which arejsecured closed" 111. a known inanner and have associated therewith counter-balancing springs" 36. The car may be constructed similarly to the rescue" car disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, filed February 20, 192 85 Serial N 0. 255,682. I prefer, however, to use the car illustrated in Fig.6 of the drawings. This 7 car includes a body'c'omprisingan inner cylindrical shell and an outer shell 38, the

water tube 44 is also disposed within the pocket 40 and opens into the spacen39, the outer end of this tube being open and a suitable valve 45- being interposed in this tube to be-operated by the diver for-controlling the same; By proper manipulation of the valves 43 and 45,-the diver ca-11==regulate;tl1e buoyancy of the car s0 as tofacilitate handling thereof.

The car is provided at one endwith a suit able closurem'ember or door: 46 hingedly mountedonlthe car atl4-7 and= having associated therewith a counter-balance spring 48 which urges-the door in open directiom This spring is disposedwithin a suitable guard m'ember49 secured to the-outershell 38, The door 46 is secured inclosed' position by suitable dogs 50 operable from1both v the interior andthe exterior of the car, these dogs-engaging beneath a ring-511 secured within the car adjacent theendthereof. The door 46 is provided with an eye member 52- for reception of a suitable line or cable for use in handling; and hoisting -the -car. A door- 46a is mounted "at. the: other endofthe; car-in the ments 53: adapted for cooperation with-scour ingdogs 54on-the'l0wer ends of rodsa5f5 rocks ably mounted through suitable brackets 56 secured-on the inneriface of the inner shell 37. A handle 57 issecured on the: upper end of the rod in position'to be grasped by a man standing u'ponthe brackets 58 secured tothe inner face of inner-shell37 adjacent each end thereof; Theupper brackets provide hand holds for the occupant of the car; 'To permit closing of the door46a by the occupant 'ofthe car,- a- U shaped member-or stirrup-59 is secured toftheinneriface of the door, this member heingadapted forreception of the toeportion of the foot. By inserting the foot in the stirrup thedoor46acan bemoved into closed position) ands-then secured byj manipulating the rods through the handles 57 thereof. it

Y Theres'cueEcar is providedwith two spa ced. rings 60 secured about the centralporti'on thereof, each of these rings lbeing'iprovided With an outwardly extending radial'flange, 61

jhavingl a dovetail groove in its outerrface which receivesa packing orgasket62i This ,sameymanner as door 46 is-mountefd'andis 7 provided with upwardly; extending hookzelegasket is adaptedxtoseat tightly upon the end of the hatch trunk; 33 When the car 34-isin- 'serted thereint'ov in the position illustratedin Fig. 6. The flange rings arealso adapted for cooperation; with the; access hatch trunks of i a disabled submarine boat for-effecting rescue of. the men entrapped in the compartments thereof; As will be noted. moreclearly from Fig.2, the salvagersubmarine is provided with access hatches includingzhatch trunks 63 which aredisposed above the trunks 133,.and

open into compartment 64; :into; iiwhich .Vthe

trunks'33'alfsoopen. In using the rescue car illustrated in Fi ..e, it'is insertedTv-into' the hatch trunk of thegdisabled? submarine and a-manin thecompartinent of such boatenters the car and-is transferred thereby to the rescue submarine inth-e manner set; forth infmy co -pending application; Serial *N0 .255,682, above identified. lfithe'sa-lvage submarine is disposed above the: disabled submarine 'S', as illustrated in Fig;1-A, the lowerdoory35 of thejtrunk 33 is opened; the trunk being first flooded in a knownmanner and the car is then inserted into thet'runk through'the lower end 7 thereof so vas to bring the packinggasket 62 adjacent the trunkend. The trunk is then drained? and the exterior pressure of the water i forces thegasket tightly against the end of the trunkso' as to. forma watertight closure therewith. The upper door 35 is then opened,

after whichthe cover 46 ofthe car isopened l to permit escape of the occupants therefrom. Thedoor 46- is then closed andsecured, after which door 35 at'the upper endyofthetrunk 33 is closed and the trunk isagain flooded permitting; the car to be removed therefrom and: returned to lEhQrWIZBCk here: it; is again inserted into one of the access hatchesfi-In the event that thesalvage' submarine is per end. thereof, the gasket 62 of the lower ring 6Ov seating upon-the upper end :of the Y trunk to form a water tight ,closure therewith. Inthiscase, the door 460 is opened to permitescape of the occupantgofv the ca-r through the lower end thereof.

cue boat is operating on the surface or an appreciable distance above the disabled boat,

a weight member ofsuitable value may: be

:placed. within the rescue car,'-this"member being removed therefrom upon'openingthe -door 4642. Under ordinary conditions, howeverfthis weight is not used. Ajsimilar weight may be used with the car of 'Figi l.

Preferably theusalvage submarine; is provided, adjacent the diving compartment '9, with a graduated telescopic soundingtube65 of known type,'gbymeans of which the-distance of the salvage boat above the disabled or wrecked submarine-can be readily determined. 'This enables-the salvage'boat to apinjury to the latter.

proach within a very-"short distance of the disabled submarine while avoiding dangerjof The hawse pipe 21 there. which the na- 'ing chain 20 operates isdisposed on the cen'' ter line of the ship and ata point fore and aft coinciding'approximately with thecenter :of gravity of'theco'mbined water; ballast tanksof the salvage submarine. While I have illustrated but one lifting chain, l coritemplate the useof more than one} chain. Where'more than: one chain is used',tl e

chain's should be so disposed-thatthe center of gravity of theballast tanks falls between the points 'at' which the lifting chain's are attached-or connected to the boat.

Referring more particularlyto'Figs'. 4 and 5, the carf32includes an inner cylindrical shell 66 iandan outershell 67 spaced therefrom, this outer shell tapering-at'oneqend at 68'. Shell 67 is-providedwith a depressionor pocket 69 which receives an air flask 70 having astube 71 opening into'fspace' 74L andprovided with a controlvalve 7 2 operable by the diverexterior ofthe car. A water tube 73 is also disposed within the pocket69 and opens into the space 74, this-tube-being provided with a control valve? 5 interposed therein and readily accessible to they diver exterior of the car. This provides simple and efficient means under the control of the diver whereby water maybe admitted to and expelled from the space 74 so as tofregulate the buoyancy of the car to facilitatehandling thereof. "Avent tube may also be provided for permitting escape of air from space 7e when :waterisadmitted'thereto, this tube sary to illustrate or describe indetail such tube and valve.

The car 32 is provided at each end with a suitable cover76 secured closedby dogs 77 which engage a ring 78 secured Within the car. A relatively thickflanged ring 79 'is provided at the other end ofthe car and 'To; facilitate lowering of therescue'car illustrated in- Fig. 6, particularly if thereshas formed integrally therewith the flange 31 previously referred to. This flange is providedin its inner'face with a dovetail groove in which is seated a packing ringor gasket ring 79, cover-82 being provided with suitable securing dogs cooperating withthe ring in a known manner. The cover 82 is also. pro vlded with an eye 8 L for reception of a line or cable for hoisting and handling the rescue car. Within the car I provide a plurality of pairs of brackets 85'and 86 of suitable shape to provide handholds and supports for the men within the car to stand upon. lI-he car. illustrated is intended to receive three men therein. I V I The rescue submarine .boat is also equipped with suitable external-air and pump connections for use in emptyingthe tanks-and compartments'of the disabled or wrecked submarine. This greatly facilitates the work-of salvaging the injured or "disabled-boat.

To facilitate handling of the torpedo tube rescue car and insertiont-hereof into the torpedo tube of the disabled boat, when the rescue boat is operating from a" position above the disabled boat, the car may be lowered in horizontal position and suspended adjacent the muzzle end. of the torpedov-tub'e'by a bridle arrangement associated with the line forraising and lowering the car, in th'e manner illustrated and described in my copending application for rescue car, Serial Number 255,683, filed FebruaryQO, 1928. f I;

WVhat-Iclaimis:

j 1. In a submarine boat, a lifting chain, the

boat having an openingthrough the-bottom of its hull, said chain operating'through the opening and being disposed at theJap'proXimate centre of gravity of'theiballasttanks, and means'for limiting movement of the chain through said opening. p

2. In asubmarine boat, 'a' diving compartment having an access hatch opening through-the bottom of the hull, a 'windlass,

a cable windable onto and off of the Windlass and operating through saidopening, alliawse pipe opening through the bottom of the hull adjacent said openin a second windlass,'and a second cable winda le onto and oif-of said through the bottom of the hull, two windlasses within the co1npartment,'a cable windable onto and off of one of the windlasses and operating through saidopening, and a second cable windable onto and off of the other Windlass, said compartment having a hawse hole opening thereinto and through the bottom of the hull adjacent the hatch opening, the second cable operating through said hawse hole.

4. In a submarine boat, a diving compartment having an access hatch opening through the bottom of the hull, a hawse pipeopening through the bottom of the hull adjacent said hatch opening, a Windlass, a cable windable onto and oil of the Windlass, said cable operating through the hawse pipe, a lifting chain secured to the end of the cable and operat ing through the hawse pipe, and means releasably secured on the chain'and cooperating with the hawse pipe to limit downward movement of the chain through the pipe and support the load to which the lower end of the chain is secured. V

5. In a submarine boat, means for lowering a cable through the bottom of the hull and for winding up the cable after attachment thereof to an object beneath the boat, means 7 for lowering a second cable with a lifting chain attached thereto through the bottom of the hull and for winding up said second cable after securing of the chain tothe object to be raised, and means detachably secured of the hull and giving access from the exterior of the hull to said compartment In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 2nd day of February,

LAWRENCE Y. SPEAK.

to said chain for limiting downward move- I ment thereof and for taking the load of the object being lifted.

6. In a submarine boat, a diving compartment having a hatch, a second compartment, and a decompression chamber having doors giving access to the respective compartments through said chamber.

7. In a submarine boat, a diving compartment within the hull, an access hatch through the bottom of the hull and giving access from the compartment to the sea and a second access hatch opening through the top of the hull and giving access directly into said compartment. r

8. In a submarine boat, a diving compartment within the hull at the lower portion thereof, an access hatch through the hull and giving access from the compartment to the sea, a second access hatch opening through the top of the hull, and a trunk leading from the second hatch into said compartment.

9. In a submarine boat, a diving compartment within the hull, an access hatch through the bottom of the hull and giving access from the compartment to the sea, and a second access hatch opening through the upper portion 

